Letters to the Editors
The Crier - For
Dear Editors
Amongst the many topics discussed at the Reading Group meeting this monthwas the 'Crier' and what it is that makes it so special. We received our first copy, hand delivered, within days of moving to the village almost seven years ago, and, to our delight, it has arrived regularly ever since.What a contrast with the S. Cambs village that we lived in before moving here. There, we were "too far from the village" (200m!) for the parish magazine distributors. Thank goodness that Swaffham Prior has more stalwartinhabitants. The Crier has proved to be not only a good introduction to village life, but extremely entertaining as well. The many 'voices' that contribute articles and letters illustrate different facets of life in this community, and many different points of view. How fascinating it is to see what "some people" get so worked up about, and how satisfying when someone else expresses an opinion that you agree with.
Most importantly, the Crier is not some glossy, professional publication prepared three months ahead of the delivery date. The copy deadline is only a few days (at most) ahead of the printing date, which means that the topics are timely and correspondence flows from month to month. This also means that the editors are working under considerable stress to put the magazine together in time, and I think that they do a fantastic job. Naturally, the occasional error slips through, and although this may add to our entertainment, I can see that it must be galling for the editors, who aim at perfection. Perhaps they should include the following disclaimer: "This magazine has been crafted with care. The occasional flaw reflects the handmade nature of this product and adds to its unique quality."
The Crier - Against
Dear Editors,
What happened to the Crier in February? Do we really want three and a half pages of "Experiences of a Deputy PM"? Why can't we have more news of village life such as the excellent articles by James Wilmot? Surely someone has a tale to tell that would be of interest to us all?
Que? The Boxing Day hockey match report? We did indeed splurge thishilarious annual feature with extraneous material such as a photo of the village team. The fortunate Crier is indeed endowed with a great variety of columnists but none of them can hope to please everyone. Surely Betty cannot be thinking of knocking one of them? The WI report is good this month; and has a photo found for them specially by the Eds...
The Crier - The Balanced View from Reach
Dear Editors,
You are doing a grand job with the Crier, for one principle reason: its style encourages me to read it right from the first page through to the last. I don't agree with everything in it ,and some of the commentary annoys me but, more importantly, I am keeping myself well-informed about what's on and what people are thinking in my neighbourhood. and this is terribly important for the likes of me who spend their working day outsidethe neighbourhood. And, surely is this not the primary aim of a village magazine? You don't know you lucky you are, Swaffham Priorites! so, Carryon Criering!
National Children's Home Collection
Dear Editors,
I would like to thank the residents of Tothill Road who give generously every year towards the street collection for the National ChildrenÕs Home.This year we raised £48. The money raised helps to make a big difference to the lives of vulnerable children and young people throughout the UK.
If you would like to organise a house to house collection in your street, you can telephone me on 01638 742945. Or call the local rate National Childrens Home Helpline on 08457 125726.
Motorbike Noise
Dear Editors,
It's 9.45am and I'm expecting the motorbikes to start again soon, as they do almost every evening and every day on a weekend. We have to keep the windows closed from the noise and exhaust fumes. To concentrate on the work I do in my office I have to put music on.
I'm a biker too. Twenty-five years, I've never been without one: I've ridden hundreds of thousands of miles more than I've driven cars. I didn'thave a car licence when I moved to Swaffham Prior: I had to learn to drive in order to be ready to take Kaye to hospital when our first was due. Firsttime I drove a car on my own was driving back from the Rosie Maternity after 36 hours without sleep. I can't imagine life without a bike: both of mine were way for repairs over Christmas and I didn't feel properly mobile till I got one back two weeks ago.
But I don't drive in fields. It's not that I don't think it would be fun, but I prefer the risk stuff where the wheels grip. I've done the accidents, the smashed-up bikes, many near-death experiences, and I've got the scars. And I know of enough deaths not to push the risks any further. Gloves are to keep the hands intact - all those precise little bones and tendons: How much does it reduce your career opportunities to lose those? - don't even think about playing a guitar with a hand gone. And I've hit a lorry hard enough to dent the crash helmet...the two black eyes and the intensive-care nurse girlfriend who sat by my bed all evening because she knew they shouldn't have let me out of hospital at all, never mind without head x-rays. It was not long after she'd been dealing with the King's Cross fire victims at University College Hospital, but this wasn't a London teaching hospital. And I remember the face, and the name, of the student who took a pillion up a 50-foot back road in his village without a helmet and didn't live to reach the other end. And I remember the face of his sister for many months afterwards. But I watch them tear up and down the field without either, and they hurtle up the path in the Beeches through the old people's bungalows.
When I was about ten we used to go to motocross scrambling at Houghton Conquest over in Bedfordshire. I haven't seen it advertised for a long time now. I just remember a lot of noise, a lot of mud, and the occasional stretcher. But I think it was fun.
I've just paused to hop outside to speak to a lad trying to fly a kite out there, to encourage him up the field away from the power lines. I don't know that the children who play there realise that a kite that tangles in those wires could mean their instant death.
It's been going on a long time. All last year, and since then it's continued. It's now a wide muddy track all down the side of the field. We can't really use the garden when it's going on - sometimes well beyond dark on summer evenings - and the summerhouse at the end of the garden is only twenty feet or so from loud bikes tearing past, so that's out too. It's about the same distance from the track as the old people's bungalows, further down the hill. A couple of weekends ago I spoke to the boys, before ten on a Sunday morning. It'd been going a while by that time. They were polite enough: yes, they knew about the noise. They didn't know about the fumes. But they couldn't go anywhere else, they said, or they would be arrested. They agreed when I asked if it was possible at least, to go further away to the middle of the field. We'll meet you halfway, they said.
When I cycled back half an hour later and tried coming down the track, thewheels immediately choked with mud. So that's out, too.
They didn't move out to the middle of the field, and it carries on as before.Later that day as I was feeding the rabbit, a lady walking her dog called me over. How do you stand it, she asked. This was the last time - she wouldn't be walking her dog down here any more, as it wasn't possible to walk on the track. Had I seen it down at the bottom? No, I haven't. It's worse down there, she said. She doesn't see other dog walkers either. She lives on Mill Hill and she hears the bikes from there. Enough is enough, she said: if someone gets up a petition, she'll sign it.
Rubbish
Dear Editors,
After getting some flack for my comments on cardboard composting, I shall simply observe that the organic waste collection paper bags delivered to every home here (so far as I know) have words printed on them - "WHAT GOES IN THE SACK" above two columns headed "YES" and "NO". Under "YES" it says "Cardboard (flat packed)". Under "NO" it says "Plastic/Glass or Metal". Therefore, waste cardboard packed in plastic bags cannot be accepted for recycling. Anyone still in doubt should contact ECDC for advice.
What organic waste sacks?? And do we read that paper must now be shredded as well?! Eds.